“The ocean is home, it’s where I feel the happiest, the most at peace and the most inspired. There is nothing that a quick swim or a beach walk can’t solve. My initial interest in the environment stemmed from growing up on this island and spending countless hours at the beach every summer. I became enchanted by marine life, often daydreaming about what it would be like to live in a world below sea level. My education evolved from marine biology and learning about bycatch, to watershed health and effects of pollution on coastal ecosystems, to waste management systems. I soon realized I have a fascination with learning about how people interact with their environments, both positively and negatively, and how the legacy of these behaviors impact the world around us. Now, I have a personal mission in life to teach people about how their decisions can directly or indirectly affect our environment, no matter whether you live in a landlocked town or near a river, lake or ocean. I truly believe that if more people instilled environmental values in their personal and professional lives, our world would look a lot different today.”